Bubbly Ways to Ring in 2017

No matter how you’re planning to celebrate the New Year, here are some effervescent ways to toast to new beginnings:

You Glow (In the Dark) Girl: Veuve Clicquot Rich is the newest champagne innovation from the famed champagne house. Unlike more traditional champagnes, it’s inspired by mixology and cocktail culture and designed to be served over ice and mixed with fresh fruits, vegetables (I’m not feeling that one) or herbs to create unique cocktails to enjoy with friends. Ingredients include include grapefruit rind, pomegranate and rosemary, so you can even pour some over sorbet for a sweet spiked dessert. Oh. And the bottle even glows in the dark, which made me happier than you can imagine.

The Other Bubbles: Though my obsession is waning slightly, I’ve been making bubble tea AKA boba at home for a while now. If you’re interested in trying it in 2017, I’ve found that Buddha Bubbles Boba is the best at-home tapioca bubble option-they’re not so chewy as to be slimy and they taste less preservative heavy than the ones directly imported from China. Cooking tip- always overcook them. If the recipe calls for ten minutes, you probably want to double it. Want to set up your own boba bar at home? Make sure to order straws, cups with matching lids and even flavored milk powder. Use a milk frother to keep the consistency even and bump-free.

Cozy Up To a Good Book: What better night than to sit home with a cozy mystery? I’m a big fan of Ellen Crosby’s Wine Country Mysteries. The newest in the series, The Champagne Conspiracy is a little more crowded with characters than most and it was a bit hard to keep up with names and backstories, much less some motivations. That said, it’s a fun and satisfying read and you’ll learn interesting historical tidbits about making wine and the Virginia Wine Country.

Break out the Bubbly Bath: If you’re not much of a drinker, you can still use all that glorious champagne. “Opened champagne can go to waste or go flat quickly,” said Kristin Fraser Cotte, CEO and founder of The Grapeseed Company. She created a Grapes of Bath Champagne Soak which incorporates Epsom Salt for a fun skin soak with detoxifying benefits.

• Combine half a cup of Epsom salt and 1 cup of powdered milk in a bowl, then add 1 cup of champagne.
• Warm 1 teaspoon of honey in the microwave for 30 seconds, then add it to the mixture.
• Pour into running bath water, and when the tub is full, add rose petals, hop in and relax.

Fraser Cotte said “Epsom salt is great for detoxifying, cleansing and relaxing sore, tight muscles. The champagne helps to detoxify the skin. The carbon dioxide, or bubbles, in sparkling wine aids in tightening and constricting pores. It gives the Epsom salt a little boost.”

Finish your champagne bath with Savor Beauty’s Champagne Cleaner that is actually made from Champagne Grape Seeds to gently exfoliate.

(Click for four  champagne infused DIY home spa/beauty recipes)

A Frothy Face: If you’re not quite ready to try a carbonated face mask yet, consider a tea blend that actually bubbles up slightly when on your skin. Origins RitualiTea Powder Face Masks are tea-infused, antioxidant-rich powders transform into an effervescent, frothy cream when mixed with water with or without the use of the signature CaliBowl a dual-ended tool that helps you mix, measure and apply. It takes 6,000 tea leaves to create up to 1lb of micro fine tea powder in RitualiTea, so it’s part at-home spa and part beautifying tea ritual. Try Feeling Rosy with Rooibos Tea & Rose for a calming and comforting feeling.

Kick Up Your Heels: Whether you’re wearing jeans or an LBD, there’s something incredibly festive about a great pair of shoes. Mary Janes are having a moment in the spotlight and you don’t have to wear them sky-high for maximum impact. This cute multi-strap version (Nico by CC Corso Como) features a clunky but chic 2.5″ heel and a ton of support, so you can wear them to dance away 2016, or to the first big meeting or event of 2017.

And if you’d rather celebrate at home where there are no sparkly dresses or makeup options coming your way….

Kick Off Your Heels: If you’re the type who makes lemonade even before life hands you all those lemons, you deserve an extra something cozy when you get home. Haflinger clogs aren’t cheap (they’re about $130 a pair) and they sure aren’t dainty, but they conform to the shape of your foot and are so incredibly comfortable, especially after a day spent pounding the proverbial pavement. This lemon/lime pair kind of sums up the year that was.

Hey, Sweet Stuff: And because it’s always chocolate o’clock someplace, Jacques Torres Chocolate’s champagne truffles are infused with real Taittinger Champagne. I can’t think of a single reason that you shouldn’t toast the new year with these. Seriously. Not even one.

Wishing you the best of everything in 2017!

Rachel Weingarten is a noted and quoted a style and lifestyle expert and former celebrity makeup artist. Rachel’s also a beauty historian and the author of 3 nonfiction books, her latest being Ancient Prayer. She’s sought out for her expertise on business and style and the business of style and has been widely quoted in top tier publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Financial Times and the New York Times to Glamour Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the AP. She’s also been a regular guest on morning TV shows including Good Morning America and the Today show. Rachel teaches personal branding as well as the history of beauty and cosmetics marketing on the graduate level and created and starred as the on-air talent for her own show on CNN about women entrepreneurs called Enterprising Women. Rachel also regularly writes for BravoTV.com, TheKitchn, The Guardian and many others. Tweet with Rachel @rachelcw, like her Facebook page, or find her on Instagram.